Reparation
by Meakashi Gosterful
Summary: In the episode Wrath, we see Elliot screw up big time. This is the reparation of their friendship.


A/N This is an idea that is a follow up of Betrayed and For Her Best Interests. I often wondered how the two of them got to be close again. Well, here's my say on the matter. Read, review, and above all, enjoy! Oh, and let me know if there's anything you'd like me to fix about this. Sorry it's so long a one shot!

Reparation

"Olivia, can I borrow your notes on the Johnson case?" Elliot glanced at his partner from cross the adjoining desks. Three days since she'd shot and killed a man that had been holding an elderly lady hostage. What was his name again? Elliot couldn't dredge it put of his memory. The important thing was that she forgive him for calling an armed escort-even though she'd refused one.

Wordlessly Olivia tossed her notepad on his desk and went back to typing up her report. She herself was stunned. Not only had he betrayed her trust and gone behind her back, but she now had desk duty for the next two weeks!

"Still irritated with me I see." Elliot shook his head sadly and glanced at the clock. Three slow days in a row. Routine paperwork only got one so far before the everyday blur got monotonous, he mused. Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth to talk to her, but his cell phone went off.

Olivia swallowed hard and looked at the screen, determined not to let Elliot see how deeply she was upset with him.

"Captain! We got a rape in progress on 27th!" Elliot glanced down automatically at Olivia, and then shook it off. Munch would just have to do her job for now. "John, you're with me" he said softly, and then gestured to the older man.

Olivia was still at her desk three hours later, half asleep, when her cell phone's persistent ringing woke her up. Blearily looking at the number she hurriedly picked up. Elliot's home? "Hello? Kathleen! Wha- oh my god. Does Elliot know? Tell her to stay put. I'll be right there."

Maureen, Elliot's oldest daughter, stood outside a payphone, clutching what was left of her tattered skirt to her body in an attempt to modestly cover herself. Her eyes were downcast in shame, and she just knew she was going straight to hell for what she'd done. Never mind that it wasn't consensual, it had still been done. What's more, she was going to take the morning after pill that would be offered to her. She'd kill anything that might be growing inside of her, all in hopes that her father would never find out. He'd be so mad.

Olivia spotted the ravaged beauty and pulled over to the curb. Getting out of her car, she dropped her coat around Maureen's shoulders, partly in attempt to modestly cover her partner's daughter, and partly to ward off the bite of winter that she knew had to be getting to Maureen. Driving to the nearest hospital was tough, considering how much she had on her mind, but she had to do it.

It wasn't until after they had caught, prosecuted, and even arraigned the perp that Olivia would talk to Elliot. She knew that the bomb would come out eventually; it had to. But who should tell him? Should the ravaged and broken spirited daughter? Or should to broken hearted beauty that had helped her? Or even… should the doctor that had cared for Maureen, who had nursed her mind back together by taking on his first personal patient, be the one to break the news?

For indeed, George Huang had become something of a savior in Olivia's eyes, spending countless hours after work with Maureen, easing her pain and calming her spirit. He had, in fact, spent the last four nights at Olivia's house, sleeping on the couch and showering quickly before work.

Elliot sighed in disgust and threw the latest rumor that had been posted on his locker into the trash. How many more people would he have to tell that it was none of his business who his partner was sleeping with? Rumors of George Huang and her coming into work together at the same time, and leaving in the same car at night, drifted through the workers of the SVU Manhattan South precinct at an astounding speed. With a sad sigh, he glanced up as the two he'd been thinking of walked in together, laughing and joking about something that had happened the night before. Trying hard to suppress any and all built up fury he walked by George. It seems, however, that he didn't cover up his fury, because he grabbed Huang by the collar and held him up off the ground for a second, glaring deeply into the man's eyes. "If you hurt her heart, I swear you're dead." Without another word, he dropped Huang and stalked off.

George Huang stared after Elliot for a second, then sighed. "Olivia, he thinks we're sleeping together, doesn't he?" He asked softly, trying to regain his dignity by yanking his collar straight. Then he let out a chuckle. "Imagine, us as a couple. It's too odd to even contemplate, isn't it?" Well, no, it wasn't. At least, not for George Huang. But that's another story. He glanced up into her beautiful brown eyes and sighed inwardly. They were filled with confusion and hurt, not a surprise to the psychiatrist.

Olivia shook her head and smiled sadly. "Pretty hard to contemplate, George." Taking a deep breath to steel herself, she headed off in the direction that Elliot had gone. Finding an open door, she cautiously poked her head into the room, and then sighed. "Oh Elliot, does it really bother you that much that Huang and I might have something going?"

"Do you?" Elliot hated the bitterness in his voice. Hated the way his fury spiked at the man's name. Why should it matter to him who his partner was interested in? It wasn't as though he was in love with her or anything. Still, he watched her back, she watched his. At least, she used to watch his. He wasn't sure if she was still interested in watching him, or even acknowledging him. On top of that, his daughter was acting funny. Off, like something had happened to her.

"Is that what's really bothering you? Or is it something else?" Olivia stepped fully into the room and paused, taking the time to take the full length of him on the ground, one leg stretched out in front of him. His head rested moodily on his other knee, his hands lightly clasped around him, in a protective position. She sighed and wished she could make the confusion in his eyes leave. She could never tell him who she really loved, because she wasn't really sure herself. Nobody would believe her if she told, anyways.

"How the hell should I know! For that matter, YOU'RE supposed to know what's wrong with me, and exactly how to fix it," Elliot exploded, shooting to his feet and pacing like a caged tiger. "You're supposed to know the inner workings of my mind and exactly how to fix me." He finished bitterly. "Tell me why my daughter won't talk to me about what she did last weekend, why my wife keeps glaring at me every time I bring it up, and above all, tell me why my partner and best friend won't talk to me."

Olivia sighed. "Oh Elliot. I wish I could… But… it's not my place to tell you what happened." Besides, she didn't want to drive the wedge any farther than it already was, and telling him that his daughter felt more comfortable talking to her than her own father would definitely ruin part of their relationship. "Maureen… got… raped…" it was all she could do to force the words out of her mouth. Immediately, she slapped a hand over the offending mouth and sighed. "She... couldn't tell you."

Elliot sank back down onto his knees. Never had he expected this. As he looked up to thank her, he saw her pants leg swish as she walked out of the door. Here, he'd been being such a jerk about all of this, and his daughter had been violated. Shock forced the tears from his eyes, and he got up to run after Olivia. He ran smack into Huang, who steadied him.

"Elliot, she needs time." George pleaded, putting one restraining hand on Elliot's arm. "Let her have her space. She just told you the one thing that has kept her up for nights. She broke Maureen's trust, and above all, she feels like she betrayed you."

"You wouldn't know the half of it, you asian bastard!" The anger that he'd been hoarding came flooding out. "How the hell would know how she feels!"

"I know exactly how she feels. I've spent the last four nights helping her and Maureen. Believe Elliot, I know." George smiled. "And no, we're not romantically involved. Now, if you don't mind, please, come into my office and let's talk logically about this." He seemed unfazed by Elliot's outburst, and even seemed to absorb it into himself and use it to strengthen his resolve.

Olivia started at the knock on her door and glanced at the clock. There was only one person crazy enough to knock on her door at midnight on a weekday. Sighing, she got up and opened the door. Sure enough, there stood her idiot partner, in all of his rugged glory, holding a bouquet of flowers and soaked to the bone. "Can I come in?" He pleaded, trying to shake the water out of his coat.

Sighing, Olivia opened the door all the way and silently went back inside to get a towel. Handing it to him, she watched as he squished his way into the small apartment and took off his shoes. She didn't know what to expect, but it was surely not a midnight visit by her sopping wet knight in shining armor.

"Olivia, I just wanted… to apologize. And say… thank you. Maureen and I talked about it. She's healing… thanks to you. I was being an unfair bastard when I hired that escort without your permission. Can you ever forgive me?" Kneeling in a puddle of rain bearing flowers was not how he'd pictured the beginning of the forgiveness to happen.

Olivia pulled him to his feet and lightly wrapped her arms around him. "Elliot, you're my best friend. What did you honestly think I was going to do? Slap you and tell you to get the hell out of my apartment? " She paused for a second. "Not that I wouldn't do that. But of course you're forgiven, you oaf. I would have done the same thing to you." She sighed and pushed him away. "Go home Elliot. Your kid needs you more than I do."

Elliot smiled, put the flowers on the table, then kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you for understanding, and above all, for being my friend." Turning around, he walked out of the door, and into the dark rain. Though physically he was being drenched, emotionally, not a drop landed on him. The promise of a better day loomed on the horizon, and the knowledge that his friend was same was definitely a boost.


End file.
